


Mechanical Love

by Lidsworth



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: A little angst, Cute, Fluff, Hide being nice, High School AU, Kuroneki | Black-haired Kaneki, M/M, One Shot, but not too much, i wanted to write something happy for once, kaneki's aunt being a bitch, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-14 14:47:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4568487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lidsworth/pseuds/Lidsworth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's strange how the simplest of things can bring two lonely souls together. In Hide and Kaneki's case, it's a broken, mechanical pencil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mechanical Love

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Got a little tired of my angsty stuff (I'm writing ch.2 of Salvage What's Left and another really dark story) , so I decided to work on someone's request to get my happy gears turning! I wanted to take a tiny break. 
> 
> Hope you like it. Beware of errors! If you find any, please do tell me so I can fix it (as always, I'm my own beta).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Tokyo Ghoul. 
> 
> here's the request:  
> Highschool first meeting where Kaneki sheepishly asks Hide to borrow a pencil and Hide smiles and is really nice to Kaneki when giving him one which makes him all flustered, but he ends up not returning the pencil to Hide for a week because he's too shy and thinks Hide is cute and throughout the whole week he's just trying to give the pencil back to Hide but chickens out or something happens ((Hide secretly noticing the whole time but he just thinks it's really cute)). End it how you'd like ;v;

Kaneki's dark eyes widened in sheer horror as the pencil in his hand gave its final breath. Not even thirty minutes into the assignment, and he was already lacking necessary writing materials. Had he been studying the night before, then perhaps he would not have encountered such a preventable issue.

But no, he was too damn occupied with his books all last night. Too damn occupied to study, and now he was suffering the consequences.

One small lift of his head was enough to count the number of silent, focused students still working the paper. Unfortunately, it was the overwhelming majority of his class. It would be no good asking them to lend him an extra pencil.

He could ask his teacher for one, though he wasn't prepared for the embarrassment he'd be subjected to due to his “irresponsibility” and his backwards “priorities” . Again, he could _try_ to ask some of the others. It wasn't a test. And everyone had different copies of the assignment, so imitating someone's work wasn't really an option. Though he wanted to avoid their brash attitudes the best he could.

But all cheating and attitude aside, Kaneki hadn't a clue who to ask. Though with one final scan around the room as he quickly lifted his head, the book worm found his answer.

_No...anyone but him!_ Him being the charming transfer student who'd just enrolled at the high school. He was absolutely beautiful. With his bleach blond hair, and his stunning brown eyes, and the air of confidence that he carried about him...Kaneki was blushing just thinking about him.

The brunette felt as if even speaking to him would somehow ruin his angelic image. Not to mention, Kaneki had a huge crush on him—in fact, he wasn't even sure if he could call it a crush. He wasn't ready to face him, not now, not ever!

But he so desperately needed a pencil. And if his fear fueled reluctance continued, then his teacher would no doubt call him out on his laziness. Biting his lip, the brunette forced himself to his feet.

It was now, or never.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Hide bobbed his head back and forth as his favorite song picked up tempo.

Having finished his work earlier than most of his literature class, he'd taken to self entertainment as he waited for them to pick up the pace. However, judging by their scrunched up features, and by the way that most of them scratched their heads while looking at the paper, Hide figured that he'd be trapped in his own personal concert for a while.

Not that it was an issue, being lost in his music. Hide was a new student in a new town. Better yet, he was a lonely student in a new town. His music was the only thing that distracted him from home—or from his lack of it.

So closing his eyes slowly, Hide allowed himself to be consumed by the tunes.

Only, that lasted for about three seconds.

There was a gentle tug on the sleeve of his jacket, and despite all its gentleness, it was enough to pull him away from his music. Groaning, the blond removed his headphones from around his head. Though slightly irritated, Hide swallowed his complaint as soon he laid eyes upon the intruder.

  
To describe the boy as simply cute was an understatement. He was downright adorable. With his pink plump lips that just begged to be kiss, and with his gentle eyes that hid a hint of sadness about them, and with his round cheeks. And the way that his dark hair fell in front of his face as if he were trying to hide himself from the world made Hide's heart ache with wanting.

  


“Um...may I borrow a pencil please? M-mine broke.” His voice only added to the list of things that Hide already loved about him. The humbleness, evident in his tone rolled off of him like strong waves from the sea, and it took all of Hide's will power not to confess to him right there.

“Yeah man! No problem,” Calm. Cool. Collected. Hide had already decided he'd somehow score a date with this guy. It was love at first sight, “Just give me a second.”  
  
Hide slumped over the side of his chair to where his backpack was. Quickly opening the contents, he dove into the small pocket of his bag, and pulled out a mechanical pencil. At the same time, he tore a small piece of paper out of one of his notebooks.

“Sorry it's taking so long,” he spoke breathlessly, as he worked to remove the eraser, “I need to put some more lead in it.”

“Don't worry,” came the brunette from above, “I don't mind the wait.”

As his fingers finished emptying the lead, he immediately used them to scribble his name and address on the small piece of paper. He was eternally grateful for the boy's patience.

_Hey there. My name is Hide, I just moved here. I don't have many friends, but I like you. You're really cute. So let's hang at the theater or something later on. Here's my number..._

Hide quickly finished his tiny note, rolled it up, and forced it into the small led compartment of the pencil. Given the amount of lead he left in the pencil to make room for the note, the boy would have to refill it in few hours tops.

When that happened, he'd no doubt read the note. Hide smirked inwardly as he handed the pencil to the brunette.

Smiling nervously, the boy took the pencil in his hands, allowing it roll up against the pads of his fingers, as if he'd just copped a chest full of gold. Hide fought the urge to raise an eyebrow at the gesture.

  


“T-Thank you,” managed the brunette.

  
Hide smiled brightly, “No worries! See ya soon!”

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

As he retreated back to his desk, he swore that his blood had been infused with the heat of the sun. His face was practically on fire, his fingers were positively tinging—so much, that he wouldn't be surprised if the plastic pencil incinerated in his grip.

Finishing the assignment was nearly impossible, as he'd been too preoccupied with the blond sitting just a few desks away. Occasionally, he'd steal a gaze at what he thought would be the back of his head, only to be met with the honey brown hues.

And he could have sworn that the blond was blushing just as badly as he was.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The blond left as soon as the final bell rang. As expected, the entire classroom erupted into a stampede of tired, exhausted students that sought to shake off the residue of their school work. Unfortunately for Kaneki, the dense crowd made it impossible for him to catch up to the blond.

He'd lost the bright blond head in the sea of faces and backpacks, and by the time he'd managed to distance himself enough to examine the hallways, the pencil boy had disappeared.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

For once, Kaneki felt content in returning to his aunt's house. He had something delightful to ponder about.

  


With the pencil nestled behind his ear as he stirred a pot of stove top stew, the book worm smiled a genuine smile for the first time in ages.

He replayed their first visit over and over again in his mind.

The voice of an angel, hair like the sun, a smile like the heavens...God, Kaneki was truly blessed to have encountered someone like that. And the pencil—oh, the pencil was just a bonus, an offering almost.

“What are you acting so giddy about? You need to hurry up with our dinner, we're getting hungry” His star struck smile eroded promptly as his aunt made her entrance into the kitchen. Kaneki refused to even acknowledge her presence with so much as a glance. Her fear controlled him only because he saw no point in living. But now with plastic pencil tucked behind his ear, a new sense of confidence and control surged within him.

However, his aunt didn't appreciate his defiant demeanor in the least.

“Ken,” her voice certainly reflected her posture, as she held herself together with her arms tightly crossed in front of her chest, her back straight like a drill sergeant, her hip no longer protruded in an annoyed fashion, and her eyes ablaze, “Did you hear me?”

Despite all the pencil's power, he knew just what his aunt was capable of. Moreover, she'd just gotten her nails filed the day before. He had no intention of having those sharp hooks embedded in his cheeks, not again.

All he needed to do...all he needed to do was step down off of his ego.

“Yes Ma'am, I did here you. I just didn't chose not respond.”

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After treating his cheek with hydrogen peroxide, Kaneki placed a band aid over the wound. Though the angry edges of the slash still poked out of the corners. The band aid wasn't large enough to cover the entirety of the cut, but he would have to make due.

Usually, after his aunt hit him, he would spend the entire night crying himself to sleep. And while his eyes did burn to the brim with tears, he didn't sob like he usually did. Not with the pencil behind his ear, discharging a peaceful vibe from its core.

Instead, he sat down atop of his bed, tore a piece of paper from one of his composition books, and began drawing. He started with a basic outline of the head. Started with accurate measurements. Ears to eyes, and nose to center, and lips to bottom. Click went the pencil.

Next he outlined the top of the eyes. Click. Followed by their bottom, and circles for their iris. Click. The pupils came next. So stern, yet so accepting. Click.

He took careful care in the lashes, and practically threaded the eyebrows of graphite dust. Click. He dropped down to the nose, where he groped his mind for a proper way to construct such a beauty. Click.

The lips, he treated with delicacy, as he imagined his own to be plastered on them one day. Tousled and messy, the hair needed little effort to finish off the portrait of the blond. Though some shading here and there would certainly bring him to life. Click.

  
Kaneki brought the pencil down to the paper, only to find that he was met with a plastic made indention, not so much an actual line. Click. Click.

Shit! He ran up the lead.

Hopping off of his bed with the pencil in hand, Kaneki went to his desk in order retrieve some lead. It took him a while, but eventually he found a small container. Relief flooded his body as he unscrewed the pencil eraser and proceeded to shove the thin lead into the compartment.

However, the lead broke as soon as he inserted it into the slot.

Blinking in slight disbelief, Kaneki repeated the action hoping that the mechanical error resided within his fingers, and that he hadn't managed to jam the lead, or break the pencil during his art spell.

But alas, the action repeated reproduced the same result. The thin stick of graphite broke even before it was halfway submerged into the plastic capsule, almost as if something prevented it from going all the way through.

Kaneki gulped. Perhaps he could open it and see what was the matter? But what if he broke it even more?

Suddenly, he felt sick to his gut. He should not have been drawing with it! It wasn't his to draw with. The pencil boy had just given it to him to write with, and to frank, he was supposed to have given it back to him after class.

But now he had broken it.

He couldn't return to school, not with the pencil being broken.

Though to be honest, he hadn't planned on returning the next day. Not until his wound healed somewhat. There was no need to lie to his teachers again about his bruises and scars. He didn't want the administration to get the police involved again!

It would be embarrassing, especially in front of the pencil boy.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Hide stayed up all night and sat by his phone as he waited for the boy to call him. According to his calculations, the lead should not have lasted long—assuming that the boy had used the pencil to complete his homework. By that time, Hide had to hope that he had spare pencil lead at his house, so that he could refill the pencil.

When that happened, he'd find it near impossible to even wedge the lead half way into the compartment. And then from there, the boy would be forced to dig into the plastic in order to remove that which prevented him from filling the pencil.

Then he'd find the note. Then he'd call Hide. And then Hide's life in this new town would be somewhat bearable.

Hide was so anxious...so very anxious.

The anticipation even kept him from listening to his music, which had been something that he'd done every night since he'd moved into his apartment. The music had been the only thing he had that was able to stave off the loneliness and the sadness. It was his distraction.

But now he had something else. He had those eyes that pranced behind his close lids, those lips that begged to be kissed, that dark hair that pulled him into it's deep depths, and finally, he had the boy himself to serve as means of distraction.

If Hide had any art merit, he would have surely drawn up a portrait of the nameless boy. But unfortunately, his talent lay elsewhere.

With little else to think of besides the boy, Hide continued to wait.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Hide arrived at school the next morning feeling less than pleased. He hadn't gotten a single call, nor a text. It was as if the brunette had completely ignored his advances. Perhaps he'd not used the pencil when he got home? Perhaps he'd put it aside so that he could return it the next day?

Hide hadn't counted on that....The boy seemed incredibly sincere and careful in the way in which he did things. He most likely refused to use the pencil as soon as he'd gained access to his own.

_Damn it...well this sucks,_ though the blond to himself.

It seemed like his attempt at romance had slapped him in the face. Maybe instead of beating around the bush and sending notes, Hide needed to confront him head on. Yes! The moment he returned the pencil, Hide would take it immediately and confess his feelings.

However, the day saw an absence in the brunette—who Hide later found out was named Kaneki. The homeroom teacher had called roll at the beginning of the class, and the only student not there had been a Kaneki Ken, who Hide assumed was his missing crush.

He looked for him everywhere. In the restroom, in the hallways, and even in the library. But no body had seen him. Hide wondered why suddenly he'd disappeared. Maybe he was sick?

Perhaps he'd read the note then! But he'd been too ill to even call Hide! That made perfect since.

With that thought in mind, Hide faced the rest of his day with a new sense of optimism.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kaneki arrived to class earlier than anyone else the next morning. Finding his usual seat towards the back of the room, the brunette shielded himself with a book, and sought to make himself as invisible as possible.

He didn't want to draw attention to himself, not with the large gash still on his face. However, since the wound hadn't been that deep to begin with (and with Kaneki's quick first aid), the worse had healed overnight. But not enough for others to possibly question him about it.

Alongside that, he still had the broken pencil to deal with.

During his absence, he'd planned to go up to the boy and apologize for his broken pencil. However, upon arriving to school, he learned that it was much easier thought of then done.

Sitting there in the classroom with the pencil still behind his ear, Kaneki honestly didn't know if he could face the pencil boy. What would he tell him? That he broke the pencil because he was drawing the pencil boy's portrait? Yeah right, he wanted to save himself from the embarrassment.

However, now that he was at school, he only really had two options. He could either confront the boy like a responsible teenager, or run away before he had a chance to ask about his pencil. And given Kaneki's nerves, he strongly favored the latter.

Lowering his book just a bit—the book that he hadn't even been reading—Kaneki surveyed the now full classroom. Carefully, he scanned the horizon for the pencil boy, and he nearly chocked when he caught those soft eyes staring directly into his.

Red in the face and taken completely by surprise, Kaneki looked away as soon as they'd made eye contact.

Why was he looking at him like that? It wasn't like the feeling between the two was mutual! They were on two completely different levels!

  


Quickly, Kaneki brought put the book back up. He was most likely smiling at him because he wanted his pencil back. That was all.

_He's so nice though,_ Kaneki thought to himself, _but he's going to hate me when he finds out about the pencil._

It was then that Kaneki decided the solution to the situation. He'd avoid the pencil boy until he either forgot about it, or both of them graduated. And if that failed, Kaneki would drop out of high school and sell paper flowers for a living.

Yeah, that sounded like a plan.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Hide's stomach flipped as soon as he walked into the classroom that morning. Because sitting towards the back of the room was Kaneki, with a tall book obscuring his face from the outside word. Hide smiled to himself as he set his bags down, and took his seat.

As he prepared his desk for class, he tossed occasional glances over his shoulder in hopes that he'd catch the brunette looking back at him. Though after many failed attempts, he concluded that his love was a true book worm.

It would take more than a soul burning glance to disrupt him.

However, as the stampede of students flooded the room, Hide was given his chance.

Quickly, he tossed his head back.

Yes! He'd caught him! Those round eyes locked with Hide's instantly, and the blond couldn't help the dumb smile that stretched across his face. And if that wasn't great enough, Hide noticed the plastic pencil tucked curtly behind his ear!

Yes again! He'd read the note. It was only a matter of time now before he and Hide wou-

The boy looked away, and suddenly, the book flung back up towards his face, successfully breaking their eye contact, and completely ruining the moment. Hide's smile faltered slightly, and slowly he turned around, back towards the front of the classroom.

Looks like he was playing hard to get.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Throughout the entirety of the school day, both Hide and Kaneki had partaken in a visual game of cat and mouse. Hide would look behind him, only to be met with the scarlet face of Kaneki, who quickly looked away as soon as soon as their eyes locked.

Even during lunch, Hide tried to steal a conversation with him. But he quickly excused himself to the restroom. Luckily, the blond seized that opportunity to corner him.

Surprisingly, he was a lot faster than he looked. Hide actually had to work to catch up to him.

He caught him seconds after he entered the restroom, and judging by the lax pose that the brunette displayed, Hide figured that he'd believed he'd shaken the blond off. Boy,was he in for a surprise.

“Hey there! You're a lot faster than you look! You're the guy I gave my pencil too, right?” Chided Hide, as he extended a hand, “My name is Hide! I really want to speak to you! And I think you already know why.”

The boy responded to his greeting with a face so red, Hide thought that he would explode.

“I..I have-”  
  
“Hey, what happened to your face?” Hide's cheerful personalty melted away as soon as he caught sight of the bandage on Kaneki's face, “Did you get scratched or something.”  
His face went from beat red to ghostly pale, and somewhere in the back of his mind, Hide wondered if Kaneki had been a chameleon in his previous life.

“I-I have to go!” He turned quickly before Hide could stop him, and as predicted took off. Though as expected, Hide was hot in pursuit. They continued this little chase until class started back up.

It was kinda cute.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

_Damn it, he really wants his pencil back,_ Kaneki thought to himself as he retreated to the restroom. The blond's endurance wasn't making Kaneki's guilt lessen any. In fact, it was only intensifying the dread he felt upon telling him that he'd broken his pencil.

And to make matters worse, Kaneki couldn't help himself from blushing the moment that those gorgeous rounds eye caught him in their gaze.

The pencil boy had to think that he was a complete weirdo!

His retreat to the restroom had been an attempt to rid himself of the pencil boy, but to his dismay, the blond ball of sunshine was hot on his heels.

“Hey there! You're a lot faster than you look! You're the guy I gave my pencil too, right?” came the boy from behind him. Kaneki whipped his head around quickly, already preparing to take off.

However, an extended hand stopped him in his place. “My name is Hide! I really want to speak to you! And I think you already know why!”

Kaneki's face burned with blush, and he was certain that he looked ridiculous standing in front of the pencil...In front of Hide like that.

  
He needed to leave quickly, but he didn't want to be rude about it.

“I..I have-” His excuse was cut short as soon as Hide's attention was diverted elsewhere.  
  
“Hey, what happened to your face? Did you get scratched or something.”  
Kaneki felt his heart drop into his stomach. He hated it when people inquired about his personal life. He didn't need anyone finding out that he was being abused, let alone Hide. He'd never speak to him again.

“I-I have to go!” He left expecting Hide to remain in the restroom, but was perplexed to hear shoes tapping against the tiled floor as the blond tagged behind him.

As terrified as he was, Kaneki felt a sense of belonging as he was flagged down by Hide. It was the first time in his life that someone actually wanted him.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Throughout the entire week, both continued their chase around the school. Hide would corner Kaneki in the restroom, only to have the brunette slip away from him in the middle of while he was attempting to talk, or he'd arrive at class before Kaneki, only to have him sneak into the room without Hide even realizing it.

They even continued their little staring contests during class. And both of them blushed like hell while they did it.

All the while, Hide still wondered about the wound on Kaneki's face, and Kaneki still wondered just what significance Hide's pencil held to it.

(And Kaneki never untucked the pencil from behind his ear, which Hide thought was kinda cute.)

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Things came crashing down for them on the final day of the school week. Literally.

With school coming to a close for the week, and Saturday only being a half day, the janitors had set out early to clean the hallways.

Kaneki had darted out of the classroom the moment that the teacher had finally dismissed them, and as predicted, Hide was right behind him.

“Come on man! We've been doing this all week!” Hide called, “You _are_ the pencil guy, right?”

Any thought of replying that Kaneki had fled his head the moment that Hide had brought up the pencil.

Kaneki continued to run. If he made he made it home, he'd be safe. Hopefully Hide would forget about this entire ordeal over the weekend, and they could return to school forgetting that this every happened.

“Did you read it? We coul-”

Suddenly, the back of Kaneki's head slammed hard against the floor, and the bookworm found his world upside down.

And through the pain, Kaneki could make out the blurry image of of a “Caution Wet Floor” sign beside his head.

Slowly, his upside down world began to come into focus, and staring down at him was a very upside down blond.

“Are you alright man? You took a tumble.”

Hide helped the disoriented boy to his feet, standing him up until he was at full height, “Are you alright,” he repeated, “that looked pretty bad.”

“I...I...” there was no running away this time. Hide had him and he wasn't going to let him go. The pencil was already clearly visible behind his ear, and there was no doubt that he'd been looking right at it. It was time for Kaneki to come clean.

“I...I broke your pencil! I'm sorry! It was an accident, I was drawing with it, and it ran out of lead. I tried to refill it, but I couldn't. I shouldn't have been using it to draw, I should have left it alone,” the brunette took a step away from Hide as he spoke, his head lowered and face red, “I'm so sorry Hide.”

He expected to be met with harsh criticism, or even a slap to the face. But instead, sweat laughter filled his ears.

“Broken, Kaneki?” Asked the blond as he reached over and removed the pencil from behind his ear. Opening it, he pulled out a small piece of paper, “Here, this is for you.”

Kaneki's eyes opened wide as he took the note. So it wasn't broken? It was jammed—rigged actually? And Hide had done it.

He wanted ask, but figured that the note had all the answers he needed. Slowly, he read it.

_Hey there. My name is Hide, I just moved here. I don't have many friends, but I like you. You're really cute. So let's hang at the theater or something later on. Here's my number..._

Kaneki felt stupid, incredibly stupid. He'd been crushing on this guy for about a week, and it turned out he had the same feelings? Angel face, perfect Hide had feelings for Kaneki.

That was one for the books.

“So...” Hide began as he extended a hand once again, “I guess I should formally introduce myself. My name is Hideyoshi Nagachika, but you can call me Hide!”

Kaneki was quick to accept the handshake.

“My name is Kaneki...but you already know that somehow,” joked the brunette.

“The teacher called you when you were absent! I promise I'm not a stalker or anything. Though if you don't mind me asking, why weren't you here? Did you have an allergic reaction to your scratch or something.”  
  
The brunette was shocked! He was touched that Hide even remembered it.

Kaneki considered telling him the truth. He seemed to be the only person alive who genuinely cared for Kaneki....but it wasn't right to pour all of his problems on Hide, not now.

“Yeah it was a reaction,” Kaneki responded as he brushed the raised skin, and really, he wasn't lying, “...and I know you're not a stalker.”  
  
Hide looked relieved as he began to speak, “So, since I'm not a creep or anything, is it a date?”

**Author's Note:**

> DONE! I think that this is one of the longest request I've ever done! 11 pages. Sheesh. That's a lot. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little one-shot. Sorry I took so damn long! I've been so busy! I guess back to angsty stuff! Enjoy anon, enjoy! 
> 
> Have a wonderful week, and God bless!


End file.
